Trick or Treat with Fun Stampers Journey

I hope that my USA friends had a great Labor Day holiday. It was very quiet here in the house, which meant that I got some studio time.  

My thoughts have been on mixed-media and Halloween. For my adventure yesterday I decided to go with the latter and break in one of our (Fun Stampers Journey) rubber stamp bundles, Trick or Treat. Fun Stampers Journey (FSJ) bundles include the rubber stamp set and a matching die set and we have many to choose from. Trick or Treat was just as much fun to color with Copics, as it was to finish my first Halloween décor for 2015.

After the Copic coloring was completed, I started going through some of my newer Spellbinder dies. The two that popped out at me were a Shapeabilities Pop Up Decorated Birthday die and the Painted Lady die.

I cut the Painted Lady twice with FSJ cardstocks in Rock Candy and Summer Days. I used some of the Summer Days cardstock for the windows paper piecing of the Painted Lady. After the paper piecing, I added some eyes and eyebrows hoping for a little eeriness. I added a little more Halloween coloring to the house with Eggplant, Sedona Sun, Black, and Sea glitter

The next step was die cutting FSJ Black Licorice cardstock with Spellbinder’s Pop Up die Decorated Birthday. I added a strip of FSJ’s Treat Time Prints 6” designer paper pad on the front bottom for stability. It’s now ready for the Trick or Treat images randomly placed around and on the house. I love the black cat on the roof. The final touch was a little cheese cloth colored with FSJ True Color Fusion ink in Sweet Pear and Hazel Nut.

I am looking forward to adding this to my collection of handmade Halloween decorations.

I love Halloween!

My very fun project would like to be considered for:

Die Cutting Divas – 3D Project

Through the Craft Room Door – Anything Goes

Crafting From the Heart – Anything Goes

MarkerPOP #77 – Fall/Autumn

If you would like to order any of the Fun Stampers Journey products, just click those links, and when it asks for your FSJ Coach’s information, key 155 or alethajane.  I would like to invite you to my Facebook group AJ’s Stampers Journey. We will be having a few contests for everyone’s chance to win some FSJ goodies, announcements on promotions, etc. I would love for you to join my FSJ team and become a FSJ Coach. Click here, or if you have any questions, please contact me.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed my FSJ Halloween project.

I will see you again very soon.

Aletha Jane

AJ’s Design Artz

Fun Stampers Journey

New Beginnings at Lacy Sunshine

Hi all! I have an an art card for you today created with Lillybug Dollie, a digital image from Heather’s  new collection “Stitched.” These images are some of the sweetest that I have seen in a while. They take me back to my younger days and my dolls and all the clothes that my grandmother and mother would make for them. I still have most of them too.

Lillybug Dollie was first colored with Copics. For the background I used PanPastels in Magenta and Magenta Extra Dark. PanPastels are wonderful to work with. You do need to use a fixative on your image when you are finished coloring.

Copics used:

Skin: E000, 00, 04, 11, 21, R20;

Onesies, Hair Bows, Shoes, and Eyes:

BV00, 11, 13, 17;

Wings and Tutu: V01, 05, 06, 09

Hair: RV63, 66, 69, 91

My finished card is very straight forward with the layering and the embellishments. Heather gave us, the Lacy Sunshine Creative Team, the theme of “new beginnings.” My new beginnings are represented with the die cut flowers. I added a ribbon and corner pearls for the last of the embellishments.

List of supplies and their links:

Designer Paper: Fun Stampers Journey New Day collection;

Cardstock: Fun Stampers Journey Whip Cream, Deep Lilac, Lavender Fusion;

Dies: Spellbinder’s Inspire Flower Power 1 & Flower Power 2, Celebrations Pierced Circles;

Ink: Fun Stampers Journey Lavender Fusion;

Other: PanPastels in Magenta and Magenta Extra Dark.

Have you stopped by our Lacy Sunshine Facebook group? If not, come join us for daily inspiration and some fun. We also have a Lacy Sunshine bi-weekly blog challenge too.  You don’t want to miss that for your chance to win these amazing Lacy Sunshine images.

Thanks for stopping by! If you have any questions, please contact me.

Aletha Jane

AJ’s Design Artz

Fun Stampers Journey

Lacy Sunshine Creative Designer

Heather Valentin’s Petals at Sweet Pea Stamps

I have a little Sweet Pea Stamps inspiration piece for you today featuring Lacy Sunshine's Heather Valentin’s Petals. Isn’t she a little charmer? A card featuring Petals would be perfect for a little flower girl. I know that she would appreciate the cuteness. Petals can be found as a digital image or as a rubber stamp, whichever you prefer, at Sweet Peas.

I am in love with Heather’s art work. Did you know that the Heather’s images on Sweet Pea Stamps are designed exclusively for Sweet Peas? I think that is pretty cool!

Petals was first colored with Copics and then trimmed with a die. I then layered her on three layers of purple and light purple cardstock. Before layering I did add some Smooch Illuminate ink to the embossed edges.

Copics used:

Skin: E000, 00, 04, 11, 21, and R20

Hair and Basket: E25, 29, 31, 50

Eyes and Leaves: G40, 43, 46, 29

Pinafore and some flowers: V000, 01, 04, 06, 09

Other flowers: RV34, 52, 69

Dress: V000, RV34, 52, and C0, 2, 4

Dress sleeves: C4, 6, 8

Background: W00, 0, 01, 2, 4, and RV52

Other elements for my Petals project:

• Cardstock: Fun Stamper’s Journey’s Pretty Pansy and Pretty Amethyst
• Designer Paper: Heartfelt Creations
• Dies: Spellbinder’s Matting Basics A, and Memory Box Fabulous Phlox
• Paints: Viva Décor 3D Rose Metallic Stamp Paint
• Inks: Dusty Concord Distress Ink and Smooch
• Pearls: Light purple from KC Company
• Ribbon: Really Reasonable Ribbon

Petals would like to be entered in the following challenges:

Everybody-Art-Challenge – Favorite Stamp

Crafty Boots Challenge – Flowers

Love to Create – Anything Goes 

I wanted to remind you all of our Sweet Pea monthly challenge at One Sweet Challenge. There are fantastic prizes there. Over at our Sweet Pea Stamps Facebook group, we have a bi-weekly art contest. That prize is one digi stamp from the Sweet Pea Stamps store. You must use a Sweet Pea image, the theme is always “Anything Goes,” and you can enter as many times as you want. Each entry MUST be a new project. How easy is that? For all the upcoming events and sales visit our Sweet Pea Facebook page.

Thanks for stopping by today. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Aletha Jane

AJ’s Design Artz

Sweet Pea Designer

AuroraWings Second Challenge is Now Live

Hi all and welcome to Monday. Are you ready for AuroraWings’ 2ndchallenge? We have a fun one this time around. We want to see you create a project in “monochromatic” colors.

There are a few rules, so please read carefully.

• You are welcome to enter any type of craft project you would like to create, made with any company/artist's digi.
• Your link must point to your entry and NOT your entire blog.* Please link back to our(AuroraWings) blog.
• We would love for you to follow our blog so you won't miss out on any important announcement and fun.
• The theme of the challenge must be followed.
• The work you submit must be your own and new, no back linking.
• Please feel free to combine your creation with any other challenges.
• Entry limit is 3 per person, per challenge.
• To join in on a challenge, please use the link tool at the bottom of the challenge post with your blog post creations, and include a link back to us to let everyone know where to find us to join in on the fun.

 Every challenge will have:   

•  1 (one) Artist's Choice Award winner to be selected from entries using AuroraWings digi (badge and $20 GC)  
•  1 (one) random winner ($20 GC)   
•  Top 3 winners (badge and $10 GC)

This is my first inspiration piece as an AuroraWings designer. I am honored to be a part of this talented team and I hope that I bring justice to Mitzi’s amazing images. For my project I decided on the color purple, which is my favorite color. My Aurora Wings image was easy to decide on also. I commissioned Mitzi Sato-Wiuff to create me an ACEO Whimsical Petunia Sprite, and she is available as a digital image also. Isn’t she the cutest? I love petunias and their bright colors. No garden should be without them, especially in Oklahoma.

My Petunia Sprite was colored with Copics. I fussy cut her and layered her on Stampin’ Up!’s Elegant Eggplant cardstock. Before layering, the cardstock was die cut with Spellbinder’s Lacy Ovals. My designer paper is from a collection by Heartfelt Creations. My lavender metallic paper is Stardream Lavender.

Copics used:

Skin: E000, 00, 04, 11, 21, and R20

Blue violets: BV01, 02, 04, 08, 12

Viotes: V01, 06, 09, 20

My embellishments are very limited on this project. My corners are chipboard from Make it Crafty. I mixed some DecoArt dioxazine purple acrylic paint and pearlizing medium to these corners. I am really enjoying DecoArt’s pearllizing medium. I can now turn any color of acrylic paint into a pearlized color. Those tiny flowers are from a new (it’s new to me) Cheery Lynn die, Tiny Flower Kit. I will be getting a lot of use out of this little die. I added some orchid Liquid Pearls to the center of each tiny little flower. 

I hope you join us. When you do, and you use an AuroraWings image, please come join our Facebook group and post your little piece of art.

Thanks for stopping by. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Aletha Jane

AJ’s Design Artz

AuroraWings Designer

It’s all about Hearts and Love

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful week. Hopefully the majority of the US is warming up. Oklahoma is supposed to be in the 60s. It’s going to feel like spring.

It’s also Valentine’s Day today and Dilly Beans has a new challenge that will put you in the mood. Megan also has some new digital designs in her shop.

I would like for you to meet Mimi. This digi is “Mimi’sHearts Framed.” This little charmer was colored with Copics and accented with some Spica pens. My cardstock colors are Stampin’ Up!’s Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, and Eggplant Envy.

Copics used:

Skin: E000, 00, 04, 11, 21, R20

Hair, Eyes, & Leaves: YG21, 23, 25, 67

Dress & Eyelids: V000, 01, 05, 06, 09

Hearts, Borders, & Dress Trim: R32, 35, 37, 39, 89

Background: W000, 0, 1, 2, R32

I decided to make my own background paper with some sprays and watercolor paper. At first I did not like it, but it has grown on me. I love it when I do make my own backgrounds. Getting messy is a joy for me!

My recipe for the background paper is Dylusions inks in Cherry Pie and Crushed Grape. After that was dry, I sprayed with some LSG Hottie Patottie Hot Pink. That was not red enough for me, so I covered that in Fired Brick DI. There still needed some movement, so I pulled out a little heart stencil and went to town tracing with a Pitt marker. The added sparkle was completed with Red Wink of Stella brush tip marker.

I finished up the card with some Spellbinder’s classic hearts and scalloped classic hearts dies. The red hearts were given some sparkle with the clear Wink of Stella brush tip marker.

You won't want to miss Megan's Bogo Sale. This is in celebration of her birthday. Happy Birthday Megan! Buy One, Get One, can't beat that!

I hope you join us in our Hearts & Love challenge. Remember to use a Dilly Bean’s digi stamp. When you do enter, please come join our Dilly Bean Facebook group and share your “Hearts & Love” project.

Thanks for stopping by. If you have any questions, please contact me.

Aletha Jane

AJ’s Design Artz

Dilly Beans Designer

The LOVE Challenge at Sweet Pea

Happy Monday! There’s a new challenge for you at Sweet Pea’s “One Sweet Challenge.” Our February theme is all about LOVE.

For my project I colored the beautiful image by Helena Reis, “Follow Your Heart.” This beauty is available in digital format or as a rubber stamp, a format for everyone.

My “Follow Your Heart” is in the digital format. I have colored her with Copics and did some accenting with a red Spica pen. I then cut her with Spellbinder’s Labels 28. My layers of cardstock are from Stampin’ Up! in Cherry Cobbler and Perfect Plum. The designer paper is from Trimcraft’s Rose Garden collection.

Copics used:

Skin: E000, 00, 04, 11, 21, R20

Hair: E42, 43, 44, 47, 49

Dress: R32, 35, 37, 39, 89, and

V000, 09, 12, 15, 17

Heart: R32, 35, 57, 39

Background: W0, 1, 2, 3, V01, 14

As you can see, I used several die cuts for this card. The hearts are die cuts from Spellbinder’s Classic Hearts and Classic ScallopedHearts. After I cut the hearts, I added Stickles and then found some heart brads. I have had these brads for years and have never used them. I just fell in love with brads again. ;o) Most of the background designer paper is covered with a doily that I added some Dusty Concord Distress Ink and then cut into halves.

My little flower spray was created with Spellbinder’s Layered Scalloped Posy. I painted the posies with Carmen Red Viva Décor 3-D Stamp Paint. After that was dry I added some little drops of Orchid LiquidPearls. The vines were created with Spellbinders Die D-Lites Corner Sprigs. I cut the largest die in half and added Gathered Twigs Distress Ink to the embossed areas.

I hope that you will join us over at One Sweet Challenge. You must use a Sweet Pea image for your chance to win. After you have completed your entry, please share your little piece of art with us at SPS’s Facebookgroup. Just a note: In our Facebook group we have a weekly contest for more chances to win some beautiful 

Thanks for stopping by. If you have any questions, please contact me. I hope you have a wonderful and creative first week in February.

Aletha Jane

AJ’s Design Artz

SPS Design Team